A Centimeter Closer
by Pendragon2005
Summary: 5 Centimeters per Second Through our lives, we are blown like cherry blossoms. We are blown apart from those we start with, yet time may find us back with those we love. Romance about Takaki, Akari, Kanae, and how they are blown back to each other.
1. Chapter 1: Closer

A Centimeter Closer

"Thank you very much, Tono-san. I'll let you know when we're ready, but just between us, I think you're going to make it big."

Hearing those words made Takaki's day. Heck, with the way things turned out lately, it was making his year!

Ever since he had quit his previous job as a computer programmer, he had gone from job to job, always trying to find one that was more than just a job. It was not until one of his coworkers had overseen him writing yet another E-mail that he thought of it.

"Hey, Tono, why don't you go into writing? I mean, you do that more than you work!"

It was like it was ordained from above. He silently thanked Akari, wherever she was, for all the letters he had written when he was younger. Those letters had turned into a story in Takaki's mind. The letters had become his "what if." It was these letters that eventually inspired his writing.

His mind drifted for a time. Akari. He wondered where she was. That day, a year ago, he had sworn he saw her by that train crossing. If he had only stopped sooner…

Takaki lived with regrets. The sorrows in his life seemed to compile. His troubles with life were fused strangely into his writing. He was able to find an escape, a hope.

The soon to be writer smiled as he thought back to his two greatest friends. Indeed, to this day, they were the only two he considered to ever have been his friends. He had dated, and had coworkers that he had gone out to grab a sake bottle with, but never had he considered anyone his friend except for Akari and Kanae. He wondered if both were safe, if they had found happiness or not.

A shower of cherry blossoms drifted lazily past him. _Five centimeters per second._ How long had it been since Akari had told him that? How long since Kanae had said the same thing? Cherry blossoms. They drifted like snow, lazily moving toward the ground. They would bump into one another, get caught in the wind, and then continue on their way, still moving at that five centimeters every second.

Lost in thought, he was surprised to find himself already at his apartment. Fiddling with his pockets, he searched for his keys. It took him a full two minutes of searching before he came to the conclusion that he had lost them. Cursing slightly, he realized there was a sizable hole in his jacket pocket where his keys might have slipped out. He began rushing back to the office, hoping that he had dropped them there. Just to be careful, he kept his eyes glued to the ground.

As he neared his office, he accidentally bumped into a tall man dressed in a business suit. Immediately, Takaki went to the ground. It was not at all unlike hitting a wall.

Rubbing his head, he was surprised to see a hand in front of his face. Taking it, he was hauled to his feet by the man he had run headlong into. He bowed rapidly.

"Excuse me! I lost my keys and I was in a rush. Sorry."

The man waved at his apology.

"Don't worry about it. Keys are more important. Besides, I didn't get out of the way, did I?"

"Y-yes, but…"

"Hey, why are you still here? Go on, find those keys!"

Bowing and apologizing again, Takaki ran off. The man shook his head. _Poor guy_, he thought to himself. _He's got the look of a bachelor. I remember what that was like. I'm getting to re-live it now._ Chuckling, he remembered that he had done just what the poor man had done a few months ago. It had netted him a good earful. He had been sad, but simultaneously relieved when they had both decided to try the idea of separating for a while before going full on into the marriage again. His wife had always been looking somewhere else and he couldn't ever find himself in that gaze. He wondered briefly if she was still trying to find that young man after all these years.

"Akari…"

* * *

"Akari…hey, Akari!" 

Akari snapped back from her daydreaming to find herself once again at an office desk. The frowning face of her boss looked down at her. Miyuki, her coworker next to her, gave a silent "sorry" at not being able to snap her out of it faster. It looked like the manager was in a foul mood today. Akari winced unconsciously.

A few hours later, when she was off for the day, she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a body half tackled her from behind.

"Whew! You're lucky, Akari! If that had been me, I would have been suspended at least."

Akari smiled back at Miyuki.

"It's because you're so immature. Besides, I don't drift off to sleep nearly as much as you do."

"You get caught less, you mean."

Akari tilted her head in mock concentration on that thought. "True, I guess."

Both women dissolved into giggles.

"Geeeeeeeze! After a day like that, I need a drink. Come on, Akari, my treat today!"

Growing serious, Akari stopped, then frowned. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? You remember last time."

"Awe, come on. He was cute. It's not like he didn't enjoy it. Besides, you're single now, right? What's wrong with a little harmless flirting?"

"Miyuki! I told you, we're not divorced. We're just taking a break to figure some things out first."

Miyuki grinned evilly.

"My bet is that he found that letter, didn't he?"

"W-what?"

Miyuki laughed. "The letter you never gave to him. You know, the one you dug up and started obsessing over. What was his name? Takaki?"

Akari stopped. Yes, it was true. That was the letter her husband had found her reading. It was just a teenage crush, nothing major to note, but still her husband had been suspicious. She looked up at the falling cherry blossoms.

"Five centimeters a second…" she whispered.

"Huh? What? What's that, Akari?"

"Five…no, never mind."

"Ehhhhh…you're acting weird, Akari."

Despite herself, Akari smiled.

"So, how about that drink?"

The two women continued on, eventually passing a small bookstore. The store was packed.

"What's going on here?" Akari asked.

"Eh? Not sure. Hmmm…oh, wow!"

Ignoring her friends childish reaction, Akari pressed.

"What?"

"I don't believe it! It's Sumita Kanae!"

"Who?"

"Honestly, Akari, don't you keep up with local sports? She's the best female surfer in Japan! Heck, she might be the best surfer in Japan period!"

Akari stumbled for a second. She was never one to keep up with local sports, except for Kyudo. She always hoped to catch an elusive name in there…

"You think she'd sign something?" Miyuki said, already fumbling in her pack to try to find something, anything that might be worth it. She was getting gradually more frustrated.

"Looking at the sign, Akari said, "Oh, here. It says she'll be signing tomorrow as well. Why don't you come back then? Tomorrow is Sunday, after all."

"Oh, really? Ok, then. I think I'll try to bring my surfboard!"

"Yah, bring…wait. Where do you keep a surfboard in that apartment?"

"Huh? Oh, I rented a storage shed to keep all my excess stuff in."

"I see…"

"Hey, you ok Akari?"

"Yes…"

Though Miyuki pestered her, she couldn't shake the feeling that she saw. Sumita was about her age, and she was from Tanegashima, the place where she last knew Takaki to have gone.

* * *

"Sumita-san!" 

"Yes?"

Kanae was forcing a smile. After six straight hours of signing, her face was growing sore. The little bookstore was packed. If it weren't for the favor to her sister, she would have asked the owners to end a long time ago. Still, she had to admit, the little store was packed, and the people really were here just to see her.

She turned to the young man speaking to her. He looked to be in his late twenties, and was not at all unhandsome. His short brown hair was neatly combed, and his eyes were a surprising green. He must have had some foreign blood in him.

"I was wondering if you were free after this. Perhaps you could give me a few surfing pointers in exchange for dinner?"

Smiling, Kanae said in an overly sweet voice, "I'm sorry, but I don't go in for one sided deals."

The man grimaced, but he did not look overly surprised. Feeling guilty, she was about to apologize, but he waved her off.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you get a thousand offers like that a day. I'll just have to look for someone less pretty."

He waved and walked off, only to be replaced by two more waiting to have her sign. She forced her smile and prepared to take them.

"Ok, everyone, that's enough. The shop closed already. Please leave. She will be back, after all."

Moaning about how there was not enough time, the customers all began to wander off. Kanae began to wave them off, genuinely smiling at the fact that it was soon to be done. She caught sight of two women walking outside. They inspected the sign outside. One looked to be excited, while the other was merely looking amused at her friend. The latter looked at her briefly then bent to read the sign. Suddenly, she looked up in surprise, and gave Kanae a look of shock, her mouth open. Slowly she moved away.

_I wonder what that was about_ Kanae though to herself. _Maybe she recognized my name from a long time ago. Or maybe we went to high school together or something._

High school. It had been a while since she had thought of that. Her friends had all gone off to continue their education, and she had decided after a year to do the same, but she also entered into surfing competitions, trying to live her life doing what she loved. It had been Tono who had taught her that, to always follow your heart.

Kanae sighed. She had not thought about Tono in a long time. She had always tried to block that one memory out of her thoughts. It was always so painful to remember him. She wondered if that person he had always been sending E-mails to was still a part of his life. She also wondered if he could look at her as a woman now.

These were her thoughts as she helped the store owner pick up. It was a favor to her sister, who had once been the teacher of the man. He was a little pressed for business ever since larger companies had started moving in. The support he received from Kanae helped to boost his business a great deal.

Finishing up, he turned, and placed his hands on his back.

"Ah, this work will be the death of me!"

"Hey, ji-san, take it easy. I can help you with those."

"Who's old? I happen to only be thirty!"

"Hehe. I'm still in my twenties, remember? To me, you're practically a dinosaur!"

"Huh? Come here and say that to my face, you rascal!"

Laughing, she dodged away from the slow attempt to tackle her. Kanae enjoyed the times where she could relax. It seemed like most of her life was either training or traveling for competitions. Still, she had started to really enjoy Tokyo despite (or perhaps due to) the lack of surfing. It was good just to take a break.

After chasing her for a bit, the shopkeeper lay down, and Kanae came over to sit.

"Sumita, why is it that you turn down every offer for a date?"

Kanae's smile faded. The truth was that she was still head over heels in love with Tono, even after all these years. She had tried dating, but the combination of her high profile and eventual lack of interest caused them to fail.

The owner must have seen it in her face, because he very quickly changed the subject to her sister.

The time eventually came for Kanae to leave. She needed sleep if she was to try to do anything worthwhile tomorrow. Leaving the shop, she walked along, her heart a bit of turmoil. She wondered where Tono was right now. She always looked out for him in her travels, always hoping that it would be his face she saw when she finished a competition or when she bumped into someone walking down the street. He had not really spoken to her since he left and she had made no real effort do contact him.

Staring up at the sky, she wished she could see more stars in the city haze.


	2. Chapter 2: Adrift

Adrift

Takaki was decidedly nervous. To be fair, he had never appeared in front of this many people ever.

A week ago, it had been decided that his book, which he entitled "Adrift: A Collection of Short Stories About Life," would be published and released. The programmer turned writer was now to make a short speech to a small group of press. Small, meaning only about fifty magazine, television, and radio reporters would be in the room.

"Nervous, Tono-kun," a female voice said from behind him. He recognized his employer's secretary, Yuki.

"No. Nervous was an hour ago. Right now I feel like I might throw up."

"Oh, my. I hope you didn't eat too much."

"Just a joke, Yuki-chan," Takaki said, smiling. Truth was, he hadn't eaten much at all. It was all he could do to force down a slice of toast. He would have had coffee to wake him up, but he was smart enough to know that that would have just made his stomach hurt worse than it was now.

"Oh. Well, if it helps, just pretend that it's only those people out there."

"Eh? What do you mean, Yuki-chan?"

"Oh, well, the people will be broadcasting live and…oops. You hadn't thought of that, had you?"

_Thank you, Yuki-chan. _In fact, he had not. The fact that he would be in front of fifty business professionals when he had no prior experience was bad enough. Realizing that it would be broadcast live in three or four media forms was quite another thing. Now he really did think he was going to throw up!

Before he knew it, he was doubled over, Yuki sending a constant stream of 'are you alright' and 'I'm sorry' over him. How in the world was he going to get through this one.

Suddenly, the door to his little waiting room opened, and the publisher came in, all smiles.

"Ok, Tono, I think they're ready for…"

He stopped short at seeing Takaki bending over a waste basket with Yuki over him trying to help him. Who could blame him, honestly? It surprised Takaki, therefore, when the manager chuckled and gestured for Yuki to leave.

"I take it Yuki didn't do much to alleviate your stress. I had hoped, but then I should have figured. You barely stare at women, Tono-san. I take it that your book has some truth to it then?"

Takaki continued staring at the wastebasket, though his stomach had subsided to a dull ache. Instead, he reflected on the five months he had poured into writing the book. It had been after he quit his job, realizing there was no going back to the past. He had just started writing, not knowing why, not knowing where it would lead. He had written as much for others as for himself. For Akari, for Kanae, for his parents, but mostly it had been a desperate, last resort to clear out his mind and soul.

"Tono-san, I can't force you to go out there, but I'd like you to know that I think your writing deserves to be given light that only you can give it."

His stomach felt like it was on fire, but Takaki managed to stand and straighten out his tie. He wondered for a second if he was going to be able to do this. To stand in front of all those people and tell them about how his life was reflected in this collection of short stories. Instead of feeling his stomach, he felt his eyes tearing up, but the young author wiped them away, and prepared himself for the upcoming onslaught. He had prepared his speech, so all that was left was to deliver.

The manager smiled. He had seen Tono work his way up this whole time. He was glad that the company had decided on Tono. The young man had spirit, and it showed in his writing. If anyone deserved to be published, it was him.

"Ready, Tono-san?"

_You only live once…_

"…and so I hope that I have been of help to you all."

It was a blur to Takaki. He barely remembered what he had said. He afforded himself a glance at his watch on the podium as he bowed. Had it really been a whole thirty minutes? He could scarcely believe it.

He came up and heard the applause and also saw the hands of several people waving, desperate to get his attention. He was nervous about that. What if they asked about his background? Or if he had some secret inspiration? Luckily, the manager appeared to have thought that out already.

"Now, everyone, let's let Mr. Tono rest, shall we? I think we have time for one question if you're up to it, Tono-san."

Takaki wondered. He thought if he could pick out the best one of the crowd, he might be able to the handle the single question. Nodding, he looked out into the gathering. One of the interviewers looked desperate. She was straining on her tiptoes and stretching to her limit, her face scrunched up in concentration, as thought begging to be chosen. Smiling, Takaki couldn't help but point to her.

"Yes, miss in the pink sweater."

Pausing, she looked at him, then pointed at herself. Smiling, he nodded. She looked like she was straining not to jump up and down.

"Yes, well, you've made no mention of your friends or family…"

_Uh-oh_ Takaki thought. _Did I pick the wrong one after all? What if she decides to ask me about the book?_

"…so I was wondering if there was anyone out there you would like to give an honorable mention to?"

_Huh?_ Well, that was not what he had expected. Why not? Despite the fact that he was on live media, the odds that someone would actually hear him were slim to none, right?

"Of course, I'd like to thank my parents for raising me. Also, there are two others out there I would like to give my thanks to. They are my two best friends, despite having not seen them in a while…"

* * *

"Shinohara Akari" 

Akari had just finished introducing herself to the store manager. It was a quiet, small bookstore that looked to be ignored most of the time. However, she noticed a few people here and there. It was amazing what a celebrity visit could do for popularity of a place.

"Well, Shinohara-san, what is it I could do for you?"

_Shinohara_ It had been a while since she had used that name. Her maiden name. Maybe it was the fact that she had been away from her husband for so long, or maybe it was the fact that she was looking for her sweetheart from youth. Whatever the reason, she had decided on it and intended to stick with it.

"The woman who was in here about a week ago, I believe her name was Sumita. I was wondering if you could tell me where it was she was staying."

The man looked a little sad at the fact that she wasn't looking for merchandise. Or perhaps it was because he could not help her.

"I'm sorry. She insisted that I not let anyone know where she is. She tends to be swamped by fans. Especially the male variety, if you understand."

Akari bowed her head. It was difficult, but she understood. Smiling, the young woman bowed.

"I understand. You're a good friend to her."

She turned to leave. _So close_. All the same, it was not as though there was a guarantee that she would find Takaki. The store owner really was a good friend to Sumita. It must be difficult to be constantly admired without anyone really trying to understand or get to know her.

"Wait a second, miss."

The voice was not the owner, but rather from a woman who looked to be slightly older than her. She had a kind face with a small smile that was somehow very comforting. As the woman approached, she wondered for a moment why she looked vaguely familiar.

"If I could ask, why is it you're looking for Kanae?"

"Kanae? Oh, you mean Sumita-san? Yes, well, I saw that she came from Tanegashima and I had a friend who was there who I have not heard from in a great amount of time. I was wondering if maybe she knew him."

The woman's smile broadened. She waved her hand and moved to the back of the store. Unsure whether to follow her, Akari looked to the manager, who looked confused, but nodded his consent. Akari, not knowing what else to do, followed the woman into the back of the shop. She was casually drinking a cup of coffee and gestured to a seat at a small table. Akari nervously sat and set her purse on the floor. The woman walked over and sat across from her, glancing at her from over her coffee cup.

"I'm only here for a short while, so a full introduction seems unnecessary. I know where Kanae is staying, but I was wondering if I might inquire as to whom it was you were looking for. I might know that person."

Akari was slightly puzzled, but answerd, "Well, the person I'm looking for was a childhood friend, Tono Takaki."

The woman was genuinely taken aback by that. The shock was clearly shown on her face, but then she smiled.

"I'm sorry to tell you that Kanae would not know where to find him. He was someone she knew, but they lost touch after he went to college."

Head hung, Akari nodded. The odds of finding someone were slim after all. Maybe he was not even in Japan anymore, or maybe he moved back to Kagoshima. Who knew.

Seeing her disappointment, the woman smiled and patted her hand. Taken back by the contact, Akari jumped. The woman only smiled more.

"Though I don't think you can find him through her, you might want to talk to her anyway. I can see that he was someone dear to you. It was the same with her." She fumbled for a moment, looking for a piece of paper to write on. She found a pen and took what looked like a torn piece of receipt paper.

"Here. This should be the address. Should be easy since I'm guessing you live in Tokyo. She won't be home until later this evening, but do be sure to drop by."

Taking the paper, Akari bowed. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Grabbing her purse, she bolted out the door, ignoring the shopkeeper on her way out. She did not want anyone to see her cry.

* * *

"Sumita-san, if I could ask, where is it you plan on going next?" 

"Sumita-san is currently planned to leave for the United States for a tournament in one month. Having just finished her most recent competition, she will have that time to relax and train."

Was it Kanae's imagination, or was there a heavier emphasis on 'train' than there was on 'rest?' It honestly did not surprise her anymore. The month was going to be a heavy combination of practice and being practically dead. Most people imagined wild parties and dating, but the case was much less glamorous. Kanae was bound to surf until she was unable.

Admittedly, there were worse things. She was in her element in the water when she had a board. It was almost spiritual the way that she could ride a force like that. Remembering back to when she had been a student, there had been numerous lectures on the nature of a tsunami, a wave that could level entire cities. The waves Kanae rode were puny in comparison, but if she messed up by enough of a degree, she could find herself in the hospital or worse. Being that close to death and competing against the best gave such a rush.

"Next question?"

A shorter, middle aged woman raised her hand. Her hair was bleached and if Kanae placed her guess right, she was from a surfing magazine of some kind.

"Sumita-san, I was curious. There have been all sorts of rumors flying around about you, but nothing has ever been confirmed: is there a man in your life?"

Kanae tried her hardest not to sign in exasperation. All the reporters were now anxious, pens at the ready. It was always the same question, time and time again. It was just so hard to believe that someone so famous was not in some form of relationship. The media would eat it up, of course. Without a relationship, there was no room for scandal or incident, so in their eyes, Kanae was just a very, very good surfer. Nothing juicy or intriguing seemed to happen in her personal life.

Managing to smile, Kanae said, "No, I think the answer is the same as last week. My love life really is dead."

The reporters looked a bit disappointed, but there was no further questions asked.

"If that's all, I really should be getting back to rest now. I thank you all for coming. Please, enjoy the rest of your day."

As they all left, Kanae was finally able to breathe a bit. Looking over at the director, he gave her a thumbs up. The young surfer got up and started walking toward the exit, hoping for an easy walk home.

The door opened up and led to a small back ally that would take her right where she wanted: the open street. Despite the fact that all her superiors told her it was a poor idea, she enjoyed walking alone. Ever since that evening with Tono-kun, she had tried to take her time walking the streets, looking up at the sky, and enjoying the time to think.

It was good to breathe the outside air, even though it was city air. No harm, really. It really was wonderful walking like this. The cherry trees were in full bloom. She looked at them, appreciating the beauty inherently found in such a simple petal. The vibrancy of the petals moving through the air was like watching pink snow fall, and the few that brushed her skin were so soft.

Allowing herself to stretch out, she walked through the crowd. As usual she scanned the faces, looking for anyone familiar. Since leaving high school, most of her friends had scattered to various places, and not a few came to Tokyo. One in particular.

For a moment, her mind drifted out of time and space. She remembered Tono. Those evenings spent with him. Her heart still felt light when she thought of him. Always so distant, always far away, even when he was right next to her. Kanae still wondered who that person on the other end of the line was, the person receiving those E-mails. Who that person he was looking up for was.

The young woman's heart ached a bit as she reached her apartment. It was a small but comfortable complex. Nothing fancy, defiantly nothing that would draw attention. Still, it was good enough for her, though she missed her home on the island.

Kanae fumbled in her pockets for the keys. She was just about to open up the door when a voice came from behind her.

"Excuse me."

Turning, she saw a woman about her age, long brown hair in a dress standing looking at her as though trying to confirm something.

Sighing, Kanae said, "I'm sorry, but I don't do private interviews."

The woman smiled, and Kanae felt a little intimidated. That smile was quite disarming. She had seen Tono smile like that on occasion. The same look in his eyes too…except her eyes were red. She had been crying recently. Kanae felt a pang of guilt for her assumption earlier.

"It's not that. I was referred here by someone I met in the store. I just saw that you were from Tanegashima. I had a friend who lived there some time ago. He moved away and I never saw him. I was wondering if perhaps you knew him. The woman made it sound as though you might.

_Onee__-san.__ What have you gotten me into now?_ Kanae was not really in the mood to go hunting down some random acquaintance. It had been a rather long day. All the same, a name couldn't hurt, could it?

"I might be able to tell you where he went, but I'm afraid that I don't know many details about where people went. What was his name."

A single sakura petal drifted in through the complex window and drifted between the two. Kanae wondered if it was some sort of sign. After the name she heard, she knew it must have been.

"Tono. Tono Takaki."

* * *

Hi there. So, please send in a review if you read it. I'd appreciate feedback since I have 0 idea if anyone is reading this! 


	3. Chapter 3: Convergence

A Centimeter Closer Chapter 3

Convergence

Author's Comments: Sorry about the lack up recent update. Between returning to school, work, and random power outages, I've been rather pressed for time to finish this chapter.

Well, I've gotten some reviews, and that's a good start. I'd like to make some general statements. First off, thank you to my reviewers! Appreciate each and every one of you! Second, the fic itself was intended not to be as teary as the movie. In fact, I'm a fan of happy endings. Not to say there won't be sadness, but I feel like it would be a disservice to Mr. Shinkai not to play the story to real life, and part of real life is happiness. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The cell phone hit the wall and broke into a half a dozen pieces. Takaki had expected it to shatter against the wall, or something equally impressive. Instead, it hit with a dull thud and a crack, and then was lying on the floor in several pieces.

After years of frustration, the phone was finally lying on the ground. Takaki hated the thing. It was like some leash that he could not be rid of. It had brought him so much misery, from his mail which still sat on the "Not Sent" section to the final words from his former girlfriend.

That was the most recent problem. She had decided to call off their relationship since, as she had put it, not even a thousand e-mails would make their hearts grow any closer. Now, here she was, wondering why it was she had not been mentioned. She was wondering why she was not a part of his life. And she was wondering if she could come back in.

Takaki roughly punched the desk he was sitting at, and felt the tears threatening to come up. It was not her fault. Not really, when he looked at it closely. The young author was frustrated with himself more than anything. His joys were gone. He had figured this out long ago, but the re-realization of it threatened to overwhelm him. Where had his friends gone? Perhaps, but they were not forgotten. Had they left him or had he left them? Takaki was scared to find out. Could he still find them?

That was the question that haunted him. He used all manner of excuses. He had no limit, really. He was busy with work. They had not seen each other in years. Who knew if they were anywhere nearby? And the question that scared him most of all was what would he do if they did not care any longer?

Not for the first time, he tried, so very hard, to remember that cold winter he had gone on the train to see Akari. It had been freezing. The air bit through his coat, and he wished for the simple heat of a fire. And he had lost the note he had wanted so badly for Akari to read. He sat now, realizing that he would likely not have given it to her anyway.

He tried to remember who had stopped sending the letters first. In the end, he figured that it was unimportant. Akari or Takaki, the fact was, their communication had died. Why did it? Distance? Time? Or was this a part of life one was supposed to accept but he had never been able to?

The young man was sufficiently miserable and lost in thought that he did not notice the man walk into his office door, picking up the pieces of the phone. It was not until he heard the voice in a strange accent that he started.

"My my. Are you Tono Takaki-san? Should I return later?"

Takaki quickly whipped his eyes and turned to see a middle aged American man standing in his doorway, pieces of the phone in hand. He was dressed in formal business wear and had his blonde hair cropped at shoulder length. He peered over small framed glasses and smiled warmly.

"I apologize. The door was open."

"No, no. It is I who should apologize! I just got a rather upsetting e-mail and was trying to work it out calmly but I just-!"

The man held up a hand, making a strained expression.

"Sorry. I am still trying to learn Japanese. I have gotten decent, but I am afraid I still need some work. Slower, if you please."

"Sorry. It was just an overreaction."

"Ah. Ex-girlfriend?"

"How did you-?"

"Only thing that comes to mind for your reaction."

Standing up taller, the man cocked his head, then held out his hand.

"I do not think I introduced myself. My name is Damien. Rose Damien."

Taking his hand, Takaki said, "It is nice to meat you, Rose-san. Tono Takaki, though I think you knew that."

"Yes," he said, then smiled. "You know, I may never get used to putting my surname first."

"Is it hard? I have trouble with the English way of doing it."

Damien chuckled a bit. "Yes, it can be strange learning a new language." His face turned serious. "Now, I think I need to run things by you. I am the representative of this company in America, but I just received the job around a month ago. I am supposed to be meeting you, the up and coming star. But looking at things, I think I should probably wait to talk about things with you."

"No, no. I was just…it's complicated."

Smiling, Damien turned and nodded his head at the door.

"Why don't I treat you to a drink? A way of starting a good professional relationship."

"Well, I…um." Realizing he had precious little excuse not to, he nodded. "Sure."

Damien smiled and gave him a pat on the back. Feeling a little better, if for no other reason than the unfamiliar contact, he slowly walked out.

The air was fairly crisp, and smelled wonderful. The cherry blossoms were really in full bloom. He could see under the street lights a few blow down. Like snow, they fell to the ground and gave it a light coat. Takaki looked at them and started to think once again. He had promised to watch this again with Akari. So many years ago. It had been so long. Thinking of that made tears well up in his eyes again.

Damn. That was all he could think. Damn, damn, and damn. He was a grown man. This was not how grown men were supposed to behave, especially in company. He distantly heard Damien talking about something or another, but his mind was in another time and place. Or perhaps it was out of time and space completely. He was on that field, looking up at the night sky with Akari next to him. He stared out smiled, comforted by the fact that she was next to him. He reached for her hand, and felt nothing.

He turned to find nothing but the empty street with soft petals on them, blown away as a car drove past. Clenching his fist, he lowered his head. He would not show anyone his tears. Despite the pain he could physically feel in his chest, he would not show it.

He felt himself being guided into a small outdoor bar and briefly heard Damien order something for two. Damien held out a drink. The last think Takaki remembered from that night was the comment his new business partner made.

"May you find joy, Tono Takaki."

* * *

Having been in few situations as strange as this one, Akari and Kanae never expected to be sitting in a room with each other, watching what they had just watched on television.

Akari looked at the screen. It had been turned off for a few minutes now, but that was the point she fixed her gaze. It was the last place she had seen the one man in her life who she had wanted to see for all these years.

Kanae, for her part, stared at her cup of tea, a fierce blush on her face. Takaki had been on the television. He was making announcements about a book he was writing. It was like watching a dream put on the screen. The last thing he had said…

"They are my two best friends, despite having not seen them in a while, I hope that they might see this at some point. Sumita Kanae and Shinohara Akari, if you see this, thank you very much for the friendship you were able to show me. You will likely never know how much it means to me."

The two women sat silent. They had had an awkward meeting, but the two were now having an even more awkward conversation.

It had been a little over a week since Akari had introduced herself to Kanae. Since that time, they had exchanged E-mails about when they could meet. It had taken this long to find the time between each of their respective professions. They had decided to meet at a small café next to the bookshop they had first seen each other at.

Now they both sat wondering at the fact that they had seen the man they had intended to meet the whole time.

"Sumita-san."

Akari looked over to the woman who sat staring at her cup. She had not raised her head to look the other woman in the eye. Akari felt herself slightly tense at that. It had not dawned on her just how unusual the situation must be for Kanae. They were two complete strangers, meeting in a public place to discuss a friend who neither had seen in years. Suddenly, the cup of tea seemed very interesting indeed.

"You know, this is somewhat…unusual. I'm sorry to force this on you. I was just hoping you could tell me more about what happened to Takaki-kun."

Kanae frowned a bit. She wondered, not for the first time, whether or not this was the person Tono-kun had been sending E-mails to the whole time. She remembered what she would have given to have had just one of those mails sent to her. Just one, even if all it had to say was, "I just wanted to say hello." Was this woman who he had always been gazing out after? Maybe it was the fact that she had called him 'Takaki-kun,' a feat she had never managed to achieve. Or maybe it was just her familiarity, but Kanae felt very small suddenly.

"I hate to disappoint you. Shinohara, wasn't it? Tono-kun and I were never that close to start with. I would have thought he would have kept up better with his closer friends. He never really got my e-mail or phone number, so it made things difficult to contact him."

Akari did not miss the slight edge of bitterness in Kanae's tone. She had not been close to Takaki, but she had wanted to be. Akari wondered briefly if Takaki had decided to shut himself off from the world. His younger self seemed likely to. Kanae had probably chased after him, but he had likely missed her completely. _Takaki__-kun, what happened?_ Akari wondered to herself briefly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, then."

Beginning to get up, she was surprised to be grabbed by Kanae. The woman was near tears, and Kanae remembered a situation similar to this one, years ago in a train station, meeting with the only person she had wanted to meet at the time.

"Please. I'm sorry. I'm just…"

Smiling softly, Akari sat back down, this time next to Kanae. Though she had just met the woman, she felt her heart go out to her. A few minutes later, they had not spoken a word, but Kanae was giving a sad half smile, and Akari felt something close to relief.

"What would you say to a reunion?"

The words shocked Kanae out of her stupor. A reunion? She had to mean with Tono-kun. That was difficult to imagine. He looked different from high school. What if he had changed in other ways too? A part of her wanted to decry the idea, to simply cling to the idealized Tono she had remembered who would stare off into the distance, who was always so kind to her, who would ride home with her, stopping by the mart to buy drinks on the way home, and who would wave as he continued off to his own home. But when she looked at what she was thinking, she realized in her heart that to cling to this memory could not help her. And a chance to see, not a memory, but Tono-kun in the flesh again, was more than she could pass up. A chance to hear his voice, see his face, maybe even touch him again.

"Where do we start?"

Akari looked at the screen. She had a serious look on her face. Then she gave a wide smile and faced Kanae.

"I think I have an idea."

* * *

Well? Please R+R. Thank you again to those who reviewed. Trying to improve as a writer needs some nudging. See you all in what is hopefully not a long time. 


	4. Final Chapter: Sakura

My last chapter in this story. I was hoping to end this the same way I had started, but over the time, my style of writing changed, as did where I wanted the fanfic to go. This is probably the fifth or sixth version of this final chapter, and this is the only one I've felt anywhere near comfortable posting. So, here it is: the conclusion.

* * *

Final Chapter: Sakura

_We come and go, inevitable as the dawn. The United States President, Abraham Lincoln, once described a story in which a ruler asked his wisest men to create a sentence which would always be true. The statement was "And this, too, shall pass away." Nothing in this world lasts. Everything dies. Even the mountains, with all their pride and majesty, shall eventually be worn down by the winds and rain._

_It is for this reason I find nostalgia such a curious feeling. We often classify it, lay it out as such, and move on. But if we waited a few minutes and let it wash over us like a warm summer breeze, would we see something new? Would it be pure and innocent and hopeful? Would it be something so utterly despairing that it would break us completely?_

_Truth be told, I don't have the answer, any more than I could answer that question so often asked, 'what if…?' I just know that each time I look back and remember that day and night, I will remember those three hearts. And as I gaze at the twilight outside my window, I remember my own._

Takaki woke up with a headache. He was, amazingly, in his own apartment. He sat up and instantly regretted it. His headache seemed to redouble, becoming a pounding throb. He also felt as though he needed to throw up quite badly.

He arose and went to the restroom. He looked in the mirror and saw a sagging face with sunken eyes. He must have hit the bottle harder than he had thought. Turning the faucet, Takaki felt his face for the stubble. He felt some slight growth, but nothing more than a day or so. He splashed some cold water on his face and felt his blood start to flow a little bit more.

A knock came from the door. Takaki contemplated not answering it, feeling that he had a perfectly good excuse for not satisfying this particular person's interest. The knock came again, and Takaki continued to splash water on his face. However, in the end, he could not just leave whatever poor soul it was out in the hallway waiting for him to answer before leaving.

He answered the door and was surprised to see a hand holding two cups of what smelled a lot like fresh brewed coffee. Attached to the hand was an arm covered in a business suit. Staring further up to the face found the man he had been drinking with last night. He stood with a small grin on his face.

"Glad to see your landlady is an understanding woman. I was a little worried that she was just going to leave you outside in the cold," he said. He held out one of the coffees. "For the headache. I am not entirely sure if you even drink it, but this and a lot of water normally help with the hangover."

Takaki was not entirely sure what to say. He was guessing that he had gotten quite drunk and that Damien had needed to drag him back to the apartment. He had never lost himself like that, not through college or hard jobs. He fished in his pocket, trying to find money. Cabs were practically extortion in Japan, and Takaki felt bad about it.

He hoped also that

Damien smiled knowingly. "I did some dumb things in college. I can normally tell when someone goes overboard."

"I didn't…do anything stupid, did I?"

Damien gave a small smile. "Don't worry. I got you home before you did anything too strange." He leaned in a bit closer and held his hand to the side of his mouth in a conspiratorial manner. "But for future references, if you're going to drink to forget, pay in advance."

Takaki felt a bit of color rising to his cheeks. He wondered how much he had drank last night. It was true, though. He had been aiming to simply slip into a silent oblivion where he could lose the world, not think about truth or consequence.

Damien took a sip from his coffee, raising his eyebrows at Takaki, who did the same. Damien talked some more, but it was mostly wasted. Takaki was still dealing with his headache, but moreover was worried about what had happened. He had wanted to just slide away, not worry about anything. In the last few moments, he brought up memories of Akari from his childhood. As Damien continued to talk, likely more for practice than anything, his mind wandered.

He wondered what she was doing. As pretty as she had been as a teenager, he was sure she had become a beautiful woman. She had probably settled down, found a good life, and was enjoying peace of mind. The question that haunted him, of course, was 'what if.' He had wondered for a long time whether or not he should have tried harder to keep in touch with her. And then another face edged its way into his mind. Kanae. She had been a good friend. He felt a slight edge of sadness that he had never been as good of a friend to her. He wondered about her, as well. She had been a cheerful and comforting spirit. He hoped she had followed whatever road in life she had eventually chosen for herself.

He felt his nose running a bit and sniffled. He began to look for any tissue that might have been lying around. It took him time to realize that Damien was not talking anymore. He was instead looking at him with a concerned expression. It took Takaki a moment to realize that the reason he needed a tissue was because there were tears on his cheeks. He tried to stammer out an apology.

Damien seemed to ignore him and stared at his watch instead. "I think I am going to be late for a meeting. Thank you for listening to me, Tono-san." He looked at Takaki a bit, and then said "I'll see myself to the door. Take care."

This left Takaki with a great deal of gratitude toward the man. As he left, Takaki managed a smile and nod at him, which his new associate took in stride.

As the door clicked shut, Takaki began to look about, feeling better about what was going on. It was more important that he press on with his life. Something told him that the best way to remember his old friends was to do honor to their memories and see his life through to the end. It was a small voice in his mind, but it was speaking with conviction. After all, what would it say of his past if he allowed his life to spiral down into something meaningless and jaded?

Maybe he could solve it all like he used to do: by writing to Akari. He almost laughed at the idea. He had no idea where she had gone or what it was she was doing. Still, why not? He had read entire novels in which the main characters said not a word save what they had written in letters. Of course, most were confusing, but then it was hard to understand the human heart when it was simply poured onto a page with only thought for what the one person receiving it would think.

He sat at his desk. It needed to be cleaned, but he was able to find a pen among the rubble. He opened a few drawers before finding the stationary he used when writing letters to correspond with his parents. He sat, and for a moment, simply stared. He had heard that some painters could simply look at a blank canvas and see a painting. From that picture, they would simply fill in with paint and color what they already knew to be on the canvas. He looked at the blank piece of paper, and he saw the emotions and desire, but the words were lacking.

Still, the easiest way for him to start writing was to simply start.

_Dear Akari_…

* * *

Akari smiled at the kind old man who told her where Takaki was. She realized she was lucky. There were probably a lot of people who had been trying to find their way to Takaki. It was only by chance that she had a friend who worked at the publishing company who was able to get him the address.

The two women walked into the elevator and waited as it went up. Akari had chosen to wear her green dress today, where Kanae was in jeans and a tee shirt. The contrast between the two was only more evident by how the held themselves. Akari stared wistfully at nothing in particular, while Kanae continually found something to occupy her hands with. The elevator was slow, like it was hesitating on her behalf, or trying to draw out her anxiety. Akari would never admit it, but her heart fluttered as obviously as Kanae's was. It was a chance in a lifetime.

The elevator finally gave its ring. Both women stepped out, Kanae very focused upon her shoes. Akari was smiling as she walked into the hallway, and looked at the numbers, figuring out where to go. Figuring it out, she moved down the hall, with Kanae following suite.

Akari and Kanae noticed that there was a man leaving what they thought to be Takaki's apartment with a clipboard under his arm. He had a small smile on his face, and he shook his head as he left. He was clearly not Japanese, and carried himself in an almost dreamlike state. Akari thought he looked vaguely familiar, but dismissed it quickly.

As he passed the two women, he casually took notice and bowed to both of them. Neither of them noticed him look back as they approached the door, cocking his head to the side, puzzled. Nor did they see him smile and duck into the elevator. Kanae turned, as she thought she heard something he had whispered, but the elevator door closed and the chance was gone.

"Hey, Akari-san…I'm not sure about this."

Akari smiled. In the short time she had talked with Kanae, she had noticed that the woman had a tendency to be shy. It was a small wonder, considering she was a celebrity. She instead held out a hand to the flustered woman.

"Come on. We are both his friends."

Kanae looked at the hand for a minute. She was taken back to where she had sat with Tono-kun under the stars and wondered about her future. She understood now why Takaki loved this woman. She had a way of understanding others that was almost uncanny. She was so caring, even to a complete stranger like Kanae, who she now took in like a long lost sister.

So she did the only thing she could. She grabbed Akari's hand. Together they approached the door. Kanae's breath caught as Akari reached for the door to knock.

Akari herself was not sure what to expect. She had never been sure whether it had been her or Takaki who had stopped sending the letters first. It had been something she had never really forgotten about. They had a connection, but despite that, they had drifted apart. Perhaps distance and time could not make up for emotions, no matter how strong they were. But this was a section of her life she had not resolved, a chapter she had never finished. The letter she had wanted to give to Takaki all those years ago was sitting in her pocket. She fingered it idly, wondering what she would do with it. What were the odds that he had someone in his life right now? Would it just make things worse?

Kanae held her hands together. She wondered idly if she should say a prayer, but then the thought of who she would pray to. She just hoped that if anyone was listening, they would grant her the courage to continue. For a moment, she wished she was out on the ocean. Out there, everything made sense. There was only her and the waves, nothing complicated. She either would catch the wave and ride it to the shore or she would not. In a way, that should have been what she was thinking now, but she knew in some way that it was more important than any wave she had tried to ride thus far.

Neither of the women were entirely sure about what to do, but they had come this far. Akari sighed, then set herself and knocked on the door.

A voice inside came back, saying, "Just a moment, please."

There was a sound of shuffling from inside, and the same voice asked, "Did you forget something, Rose-san?"

And the door opened.

For a moment, none of them said anything, and there was a blank look as each of them looked at each other. Each wore an expression of half reorganization, as though someone coming home for the first time in years. In a way, that is what it was.

Seconds that were minutes passed. As each of the friends regarded each other, the blank looks begot glimmers of recognization.

"Akari…?"

And Takaki looked past her at the other figure.

"Sumida-san...how?"

Akari smiled. He had changed so little. Kanae was trying her best not to look awkward, but the blush on her cheeks was a giveaway.

Kanae managed to clear her throat of whatever was blocking it. "May we come in, Tono-kun?"

* * *

Takaki was in sheer disbelief. Here were two of his friends who he had thought lost, and both were standing in front of him. He let them in, and was unsure how to react. He found himself offering them tea and anything he had to eat, which wasn't much. Both of them sat making small talk with each other and occasionally looking his way. He scrambled about to get the things. He wondered how it was they had found him.

"Takaki, we heard you over the newscast," Akari said.

Takaki wondered if she could read his heart. It was like a long time ago, when they were children and they would even be able to finish each other's sentences.

Kanae mumbled something which Takaki couldn't make out. She was still staring at the ground. There was a faint nudge from her side as Akari pushed her gently with her elbow. The surfer glanced up, blushing furiously.

"Thank you for mentioning us. We…I was very appreciative."

Impressively, she turned redder than she had been before. Akari smiled at her, and then moved back to Takaki.

"I enjoyed hearing about your success."

Now Takaki felt himself blushing, but also grinning like an idiot. It had been so long since he had even heard Akari. Now, being with her again, he wondered. He finished the tea and moved over to the small couch and pulled his desk chair. There was a smell of wheat as he poured the tea. He then pulled out a small bit of the coffee drink that he remembered Sumida enjoyed. She looked at it and smiled, glad that he remembered.

Just then, she felt her phone ring. She silently cursed herself for leaving it on. Looking at the number, she saw it was her sister. It was probably better not to avoid this call. Taking it out, she started to talk.

"Yes…hi, sis. Yes…just, hold on a second." She put her hand over the receiver. "Sorry about this. My sister says she needs something. Takaki, do you mind if I use your balcony?"

"No, go right ahead."

Kanae walked out. "Yes, I know, sis. Of course I fed him! I thought I told you I was busy!"

For a few long moments, Takaki and Akari simply sat, staring at everything but each other. It was awkward, having not seen each other in so long, but still feeling a tug of a connection that neither time nor distance would separate.

Akari was the first to speak, and she poured every bit of her will to make her voice not waver.

"I was wondering if we would ever meet up again, you know. It has really been a long time."

Takaki nodded, smiling. "The last time we saw each other was at that train station. It took me hours just to get there because of the snow."

Akari laughed softly. "And when you did get there, they closed the station right away."

"And we ended up under that tree…"

There was a pause as they both remembered. For each, that had been the first kiss they had ever received. It was a fond memory, but as distant in the past as they were now from that tree.

Deciding a change of topic was in order, Takaki asked, "So, tell me about what life is like for you now. Don't leave anything out if you can. I want to hear all about it."

Akari started slowly, speaking about her job, her friends, then about her experience in high school and college, not to mention her love of reading. Then, as she went on, they began to talk to each other as they once had. Takaki spoke of how he and Kanae met after clubs and rode home together; Akari spoke of meeting her co-worker Miyuki in college. As old friends do, they spoke of older times, when they were both younger, of people they had both known, and of old stories they both remembered.

"So, Akari, have you met anyone?"

"Huh?"

The question was something Takaki had wondered about. She was a beautiful woman, just as he had thought. Plus she had avoided mentioning anything after he said that he had had no luck with his previous girlfriend.

"Well…I'm married, but we have been…separate lately."

"What? Why? I can't imagine anyone leaving you."

She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. It felt so natural to be talking to Takaki again, almost as though they had never been separated. It was this, she decided, that had been missing in her life. She loved her husband dearly, but with Takaki, it had always felt like they were two parts of the same whole.

"I think I was the one who left him. I didn't even mean to, really. I love him, but I felt there was something missing."

She looked at him. Takaki felt himself go red. He wondered if she was talking about him. He wasn't sure how he could respond to that. In the end, he supposed it was just talk, but it meant something too, didn't it? So he took a small breath.

"What do you think was missing?"

Rather than responding, Akari stood up, moving toward him. She leaned down, and Takaki became painfully aware of just how beautiful she was. She moved until her face was right before his. They stared into each other's eyes, and though neither knew quite why, both came to a conclusion. This was what they needed, more than each other, was closure. Both had tried to move on with their lives, each one looking back at different times, and making them unable to press on. Their eyes both closed, and their foreheads gently collided. Both smiled at the simple sense of completion.

Akari moved back, and kissed Takaki lightly on the forehead.

She smiled at him.

"I think I've been missing my best friend, Takaki."

He laughed a bit at that.

"I think I've been missing mine as well, Akari."

For a moment, they simply enjoyed the presence of the other person in the room. Their friendship would not be the same; it could never be again. That was not to say that something new and wonderful could not come forth from it. In their hearts, they both knew that they could probably move on, having seen each other this one last time, and never need to look back.

Akari, fiddled in her pocket for a moment, then took out a small pink envelope. She handed it to him. He looked at it and recognized her handwriting from a long time ago.

"I wrote that for you before we met that last time."

He hit himself in the head with the envelope with a slightly embarrassed grin. "I wrote one for you too, but I lost it. I didn't think we needed it after that night."

She smiled. "You're probably right. Still, it was for you."

Suddenly, they both heard shouting from outside. Apparently, Kanae's conversation had taken a turn for the worse.

Akari smiled at Kanae. It was her turn.

"I think I should be going, Takaki. I have work in an hour, and I need to get to the station."

Takaki was disappointed, but understood. They embraced before she left, and they both bid the other well on their endeavors, and Akari wrote her number down, telling him to keep in touch. As she left, Takaki smiled, then sighed and turned to Sumida.

She was finished, and looked more than a little annoyed. As she stepped back inside, her annoyance shifted to embarrassment again. She blushed and quickly sat down.

Takaki felt that something was slightly off, so he tried to break the ice a bit.

"So, Sumida, how did you decision go? I remember we talked about what you had wanted to do after high school."

Kanae mumbled something that Takaki could not quite make out. When he asked her to speak louder, she blushed and raised her head to speak.

"I never did, actually. I started doing amateur surfing, and eventually, I qualified to go professional."

"Really? That's amazing. I sort of wish I had kept up with my kyudo. I'm not even sure I could shoot straight anymore."

Takaki began to realize that he never had talked to Sumida as much as he could have. It was harder to find something to talk about, though they did both remember the launch of the space probe, remembering it. He also remembered it was a time he had remembered because of what she said. Five kilometers per hour…that was how fast it moved toward the launch site. He looked at her, seemingly with new eyes. She was certainly attractive. He wondered idly why it was that he had never talked to her before in high school. Of course, the answer had walked out the door before.

Kanae was having trouble. She had never truly gotten over Takaki. It was one of the reasons that she had never dated anyone, aside from the fact that her job kept her busy and moving. Takaki was still handsome, and had the same kind, soft voice that she had grown accustomed to when riding home with 

him. She had never worked the courage to tell him how she felt about him. She was determined this time around, though.

"Tono, I…"

He looked at her, face still so kind. It was that kindness that had frightened her before, but somehow she found it reassuring this time around.

"I was wondering why it was you became a writer. I always loved surfing. When did you decide to write? I figured you would do something technical."

Takaki actually laughed out loud. It surprised Kanae, but she found herself smiling at him. It was nice to see him happy. She was not sure she had ever seen him truly laugh, though he had always smiled nicely at her.

"I don't know that it was ever a choice, really. I did do technical work, but I hated it. I needed an outlet, something to create. Writing just seemed like the most logical course."

Kanae, for some reason, didn't feel as nervous as she had just before. It was the same as when she told him that he was not sure what tomorrow would bring. Somehow, following their dreams made Kanae feel closer to him.

"What about you? You made it to the professional level as a surfer. What is that like?"

The young woman smiled. "It's incredible. You can feel the wave, and when it's just right, it feels like being in touch with God. It's so powerful, and could crush you in an instant, but instead it just pushes you along." She grinned up at him. "I also got to travel the world. I never thought I was going to leave that town."

"It sounds like a great life."

She nodded, then a thought came to her mind.

"There is something missing though."

He looked up at her, curious. It had been so long since they had talked, he felt like whatever she said, he wanted to help.

"I don't really have anyone to talk to. Except my sister, but she has to try too hard to balance me out with school. It's a lonely trip most of the time."

Takaki smiled, but before he could respond, Kanae jumped up, full of the energy he remembered her having.

"Hey, Tono-kun," Kanae said with a casual smile. She scribbled something down on a piece of paper. She held it out to him. "This is my cell number and E-mail. Be sure to keep in touch, ok?"

Before he could respond, she went to the door, her face still red. He looked down at the number. He heard the door creek open. He looked up to see Kanae again. Her head was hanging slightly.

"Did you forget something?"

She started to shake her head, then stopped, and nodded. She walked up to him, head still down, and then grabbed the front of his shirt. He noticed there were drops of water on her hands. He remembered that: tears, like Akari had shed when they met again.

He started to reach for her, to ask her what was wrong, when her face came up. He felt a soft touch on his lips, a feather light kiss. Though he should have, it never struck him as something Kanae would do. She parted, looked at him, with her face still rosy red. He looked down at her, at a loss for words, with more questions than anything. Before he got the chance, she was out the door again, leaving him with his thoughts.

Kanae ran out with a wistful smile. A long time ago, she had thought that she could never be on the same level as the woman who had been receiving those letters all that time. However, she felt that now, after all these years, life might be better for it. It was not where she was, but where she could go. If Takaki wanted to aim for the sky, then she would fly to be that point he would aim for. The kiss had been a sign of her determination.

She mused on that thought as she entered the elevator, then giggled at a thought. Perhaps she should be the one doing the aiming, after all.

At the ground floor, she walked out and saw Akari. She waved as Kanae approached.

"How did it go?"

To respond, Kanae smiled and blushed. "I think well. You?"

Akari smiled as well. "It went well. I need to call my husband. I think I'm ready to move on with the rest of my life." Looking back at the other woman, she smiled. "I hope he is too, because there is a wonderful woman waiting for him when he does."

Kanae's blush grew deeper, but they both laughed as they moved outside. The sakura petals drifted down, and they both looked up and caught a few with their hands.

* * *

Takaki sat back down to his computer, looking at the screen where his letter was still sitting. Despite it being only a few minutes, that last meeting had changed so much. He thought about what he would do with it. He had just barely started it, and it looked so very disappointing.

_Dear Akari,_

_Hello. It's Tono Takaki. I'm not really sure why I'm writing, actually. You've probably moved on with your life by now. Maybe you've found yourself a nice husband, settled down, and live a wonderful life. I sincerely hope so._

That was all he had so far. A wind rippled through his window, setting the drapes fluttering. A few cherry blossoms blew in. He looked at them, and smiled, small tears coming to his eyes. He held the blossom, and rubbed the tears away. He looked at the page, and wondered. He placed his hands on the keyboard, and started to type.

_Do you ever wonder? Do you wonder about what might have been? I still feel that the connection we had was something that was meant to transcend time and distance. I think it is safe to say that I love you, but I'm still not sure what that means. I feel that what we have is something other than lovers, closer than brother and sister. We are a pair, you and I. Our hearts were one._

_But now, things have changed, haven't they? We've changed. Our hearts have grown apart. Mine grew cold. I sought for hope in the wrong places. It wasn't until a few years ago. We did cross paths, didn't we? Those train tracks that had separated us. You didn't wait, but then, neither did I. Our lives have gone on._

_Akari, I still care for you. Over the years, that is one thing that has not changed. We have always had something that is difficult to define. I think I always hoped that it would carry me through. I want nothing more than to never again be disconnected from you, and though time may separate us, I want us to be able to remain together through whatever we choose to do. I hope we both find our paths crossing at those tracks again._

_With love,_

_Takaki._

Takaki looked at the letter. On paper, it was short. He felt that it was longer in his heart though. He wondered for a moment, and realized in that solitary moment that he had too long held onto a pain in his heart that served no better purpose than a poison. The happiness he had felt as a child was not gone; it had simply been masked by his sorrow and isolation. This was good, right? He rolled his mouse over the send button, and paused. He moved the mouse over the close button, and hesitated again. What should he do? He looked at the still unopened letter Akari had given him. It had been years since she had written that, but he wondered…

For a moment, his finger hovered over the button. Then his hand came off and instead moved up to make a fist, which he rested his forehead against. He smiled, a tear moving down his cheek.

"I'm an idiot, aren't I?" he whispered to himself. He looked at the screen, then went back to work on the keyboard. As he finished, he took the mouse and moved the cursor back to the send button, hitting it.

The status bar moved and finally, his computer displayed a message. "Mail sent." Takaki Tono, a young man who had spent his time writing e-mails he never sent, stood up after sending his first new letter to Akari. As he stood, he glanced back at the letter Akari had given him. It did not matter in the end, after 

all. Feelings were like people: they changed. In the time of a human life, an empire may rise and fall, but the memories he would make would be eternal. A fluttering caught his eye, and he reached down to pick up the piece of paper with the number Kanae had given him. The touch of her lips against his still lingered.

Perhaps it was time to make new memories, Takaki thought with a smile. Takaki punched in the number Akari had given him, and then saved it. He then entered the number Kanae had given him, and hit the call button.

The phone rang.

"Hello? Kanae? I was wondering if you were free tonight…"

As he walked away, talking and laughing with the girl he had never really known, his screen displayed the last bit of the mail he had sent.

_We have drifted apart, falling like those cherry blossoms from long ago at five centimeters per second. I think our lives have been like that. We fall from the same tree, blown by the same wind, pulled by the same gravity, but we drift in different directions as our destiny wills. We never went back to that tree in spring. Would you be so kind as to come with me there? I'll bet it's beautiful, just like our lives have been._

_P.S. I think Kanae would like to see it too. We can all go there as friends._

* * *

_It would be another month before Takaki's book was released. It was a collection of short stories about three friends as they continued their lives. Perhaps you would recognize it if you saw it. Kanae and Takaki ended up traveling together on her next tour, while he wrote his next book. Akari went back to her husband and talked about their time apart, and they both agreed that their lives were only complete together._

_The next spring, the three friends met at the cherry tree that Takaki and Akari had seen many years ago. They all agreed that there was never a more beautiful sight. All agreed that they would not forget this moment._

_Hold on tight, never let go. We live, we love, and we lose. Time and space have no meaning, and no shadow can conceal a thing when two hearts connect. We all are falling as fast as time wills, five centimeters a second. It will be a lifetime before I forget those three people. A lifetime and more perhaps. One story ended here, but another started right after. And that tale will be for another time._

* * *

Well, that's it. Thank you all who read it. I'm still toying with the notion of an epilogue, but I'm calling this the ending for the moment. Hope you have enjoyed it.

-R.S. Pendragon


End file.
